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Oba of Benin bans head of servants for alleged fraud, impersonation

October 27, 2021 No Comments

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, has banned a former Omuada (head of servants) in his palace, Roland Ogbebor, for allegedly posing as the second in command to the king and also engaging in other sacrilegious acts.

Roland was also said to have been involved in land grabbing, extortion, intimidation and fraud since he was relieved of his post by His Royal Majesty.

In a statement in Benin City on Tuesday, to announce the formal banning of the Omuada on behalf of the Benin Monarch, the Secretary, Benin Traditional Council (BTC) Mr Frank Irabor, said the ban is “extended to his participation at all Oba Palace traditional establishments and functions, including spiritual groups, activities, festivals, shrines and, oguedion in the Benin Kingdom.”

According to Irabor, since his suspension as the Omuada, Ogbebor has been acting “as a wolf in sheep clothing and a trickster”

Irabor noted that the former Omuada was also involved in what he described as an “abominable and sacrilegious” act of parading himself as the second in command to His Royal Majesty.

He said: “Furthermore, he paraded himself as deputizing for Palace Authority to the extent of being addressed in an abominable manner as the second in command to His Royal Majesty. This is sacrilege and abomination, punishable by customary laws of our tradition.

“He has also behaved in treacherous ways to the Throne that is akin to being a traitor. He has been able to do this by disguising himself as a wolf in sheep clothing and a confidence trickster. He believed that his services to the Throne were indispensable.”

While stating that an overhauling of the palace administrative system to put an end to such act exhibited by Ogbebor is ongoing, Irabor urged members of the public who may have issues with Ogbebor that has to do with land grabbing to report to concerned security agencies copying the palace.

“Any person or village or community that has an issue with Roland especially on land grabbing, extortion, intimidation, impersonation and fraud, is strongly advised to send written complaints to the Secretary, Benin Traditional Council, or the Police, or Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, copying Benin Traditional Council,” he added.

A 26-year-old Nigerian woman, Jacinta Okonowo Ofana has been arrested by the police in India for allegedly defrauding an Indian women as well as impersonating a Customs officer with the intent to commit crime.

According to Mumbai Mirror, Ofana was arrested by the Vinoba Bhave Nagar police in Delhiba on Saturday for allegedly defrauding a 34-year-old woman in Kurla of Rs 17.22 lakh by posing as a Customs officer.

In a police report, the suspect was also said to have defrauded several women of huge sums of money in the same way.

Police say Ofana’s latest victim who is a divorcee, had met a man on social media in August last year and the man introduced himself as Andrea Olivera from the United Kingdom.

The man claimed to be a pilot working in Russia.

The police statement reads:

“The two exchanged their numbers and started talking and after weeks of contact and dozens of conversations later, Olivera asked for her address to be sent to her on the pretext.

“Even after her reluctance to receive gifts, he insisted on sending her one. A few days later, Olivera told her he had sent her a gift and notes in foreign currency.

“A few days later, the victim received a call from a woman who identified herself as Ankita Sharma from Customs.

“She told her that there was a package for her from Russia, but she had to pay a customs clearance fee online. She told the victim that the box contained a gift and foreign currency worth Rs 65 lakh and that she would have to pay a fee and taxes to get her hands on the package.

“After paying Rs 17.22 lakh in multiple transactions, the woman realised she had been duped.

“She then approached VB Nagar police station and filed a complaint.

“Police soon identified the exact location of the caller, Ankita Sharma, in New Delhi.

“A team consisting of police sub-inspectors Jitendra Sapkale and Ambika Ghaste were sent to Delhi where they arrested Ofana, posing as Ankita Sharma, to mislead the victim.

“She used more than a dozen international and local SIM cards to trick women.”